Choosing between AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3 was already mostly a question of fit, features, and price. Apple is also developing camera-equipped AirPods with Visual Intelligence, but they are not expected to arrive until 2027 at the soonest. That could make waiting an awfully long proposition.
It appears to show someone asking Siri to remember a book using Visual Intelligence and camera-equipped AirPods. That raised the possibility of an imminent launch. This week, AirPods with Visual Intelligence leaked in a video hidden inside the macOS Tahoe 26.7 Release Candidate.
AirPods 4 use an open-ear design, making them easy to recommend if you dislike ear tips. Our AirPods 4 review found the redesigned shape comfortable without sacrificing everyday convenience. The $129 model includes Apple’s H2 chip, Personalized Spatial Audio, and up to five hours of listening. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that camera-equipped AirPods remain on track for 2027. The B790 model shown in the video was reportedly a modified AirPods Pro 3 design that recently dropped off Apple’s 2026 roadmap.
However, it lacks ANC, Transparency mode, and wireless charging. The open design still lets in more environmental sound, making its ANC less effective on airplanes and public transportation. Apple continues developing a newer B798 generation. Waiting is only sensible if Visual Intelligence sounds essential. Anyone who needs replacements now could spend more than a year missing stronger ANC, better battery life, and other practical benefits while waiting for an unannounced feature.
However, later follow-up says otherwise.
They offer stronger noise cancellation, longer battery life, heart-rate sensing, and Apple’s hearing-health features. For everyone else, AirPods Pro 3 remain the best purchase, especially when Amazon discounts them close to the price of AirPods 4 with ANC.
